Energy

LANL’s National Security Science Magazine Summer 2024: The New Mexico Issue Focuses On State

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New Mexico abounds with places to see the stars, thanks to low levels of light pollution. With that in mind, Los Alamos National Laboratory student Aerin Jacobson set out one August evening to photograph the Milky Way above this radio telescope, which is located on Lab property and is part of the Very Long Baseline Array—a network of 10 radio telescopes across the United States that is operated f rom the Array Operations Center in Socorro. Scientists use the radio telescopes to study radio signals from astronomical sources. Courtesy/LANL

By JAMES OWEN
LANL

This issue of National Security Science Read More

Los Alamos Department Of Public Utilities Crews Dedicate Weekends To Water Break Prevention

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Water breaks in the Quemazon subdivision in April 2024 resulted in damaged roadways in the neighborhood.  Courtesy/DPU

Water Valve Replacements: This map shows where valves have been installed that are in the same series as those being replaced in the Quemazon subdivision. Inspections of valves will continue as the condition of each individual valve may vary even though they are all the same type. Courtesy/DPU

COUNTY News:

Water leaks and breaks can be damaging and costly. After an increase in water system failures in Los Alamos County during the past couple of winters and springs, the Los Read More

Los Alamos National Laboratory: New Papers On Studies Of Innovative Energy Sources For Intermountain West

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The geography and history of the intermountain west region create unique energy opportunities. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

Two new papers, both authored by Mohamed Mehana of the Earth and Environmental Sciences division at Los Alamos National Laboratory, explore the feasibility of well retrofitting and clean hydrogen production from fossil fuels.

“With no action taken, over 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide will leak into the atmosphere annually from the Intermountain West region,” Mehana wrote in the paper. “This volume is the equivalent of 1 million cars’ annual exhausts.”

The Read More

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich Announces Committee Passage Of Over $79 Million For New Mexico 

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U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

From the Office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich:

          • Investments Heinrich Championed Support Service Members, Defense Installations and National Labs, Clean Energy, Water Infrastructure, Economic Development, Education, Health Care and Workforce Development 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced the bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Defense, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Read More

Los Alamos County Council Approves Gas Rate Increase

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Staff Report

Los Alamos County Council approved, 5-1, with Councilors David Reagor opposed and Melanee Hand absent, to adopt the proposed new gas rates during its regular meeting Tuesday night.

Department of Public Utilities Deputy Manager for Finance Karen Kendall presented the new rates. She explained that a bill totaling $70.88 would increase to $72.15 using the proposed rate changes, plus the .59 cent for the variable cost of gas passthrough. These rates will go into effect in October.

Kendall said the reason behind the rate change is the decrease in revenue resulting from significantly Read More

Hampton: Electrification Or The Caja?

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By DAVID HAMPTON
Los Alamos

At last Monday evening’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) public meeting at Buffalo Thunder, hundreds attended, mostly anti-nuke advocates. Most who spoke wound up speaking against the third power line, the Electrical Power Capacity Upgrade (EPCU) project, which is planned to go into the Caja del Rio. No one spoke in favor.

NNSA acknowledged that they have received 23,000 public comments on the EPCU. I would imagine most if not all are against it. The third power line is necessary to support expanded LANL operations.

On Tuesday evening, we learned Read More

Reconductoring Is Solution To Los Alamos Energy Needs

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By JOHN BUCHSER
Chair
Northern Group of Sierra Club
Rio Grande Chapter

Over the last 10 years, new designs of wire for high voltage power lines have resulted in an over 85% capacity increase as compared to older wire design. This wire can be used to replace older wire at a cost 50% less than building new power lines.

If both power lines feeding LANL that cross the Rio Grande are reconductored, the total power capacity available to LANL will nearly double, without the disruption of a new power line that adds to the visual clutter across the canyon and traverses across a presently undisturbed section Read More

NNSA Gives Notice To Proceed On Pantex Management, Operations Contract To Group Including LATA Of Los Alamos

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LATA News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has given PanTeXas Deterrence LLC (PXD) notice to proceed with the Pantex Plant’s Management and Operations (M&O) contract in Amarillo, Texas.

Los Alamos Technical Associates, Inc (LATA), one of three small business subcontractors named on the contract, commenced transition activities mid-July 2024.

The contract continues LATA’s 48-year history of supporting the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission through waste management and environmental services. With offices Read More

Los Alamos County Council To Consider Gas Rate Increase

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COUNTY News:

With approval from the Los Alamos Board of Public Utilities (BPU), the Los Alamos County Council will now consider a gas rate increase during a public hearing at the Council meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 30.

The meeting will be conducted in person in Council Chambers at the Los Alamos Municipal Building and remotely via Zoom. Both meetings are open to the public. Anyone wishing to attend via Zoom may join using the following link: https://ladpu.com/ratehearing.

Utility rate changes must be adopted by the County Council before they can be put into place. If  approved, this one will Read More

Scenes From LANL’s Technology Showcase At ScienceFest

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Devin Fell, co-founder of Sentiré Medical Systems, discusses his company and technology during Technology Showcase Day July 14 at Fuller Lodge. Fell discussed his company’s patented Perf-Alert, which is a monitoring system that alerts surgeons to bowel perforations during laparoscopic surgery. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

Scott Ziegler, co-founder of Space Kinetic, discusses his company and technology during Technology Showcase Day July 14 at Fuller Lodge. Ziegler is a NM LEEP fellow and Space Kinetic has become a cleared defense contractor with a vision for redefining Read More